As I write this, we are still in Asian Hospital where Ate Kara is confined due to a bout with dengue fever which started last Thursday, November 26.
This morning, (a day after 4 bags of platelet transfusion) her platelet count registered 44, from a low of 23 yesterday morning.
I have yet to post a longer account of what happened from Day 1. I haven’t finished it yet since I have to finish a writing assignment I brought home last Thursday. But since I haven’t finished that post yet, I hope this will suffice for the time being.
Needless to say, the past few days were very very difficult for a mom like me. It was not easy waiting, trying to dismiss your fears because you knew you had to at least appear strong in front of your child. It was not easy watching your daughter get hurt, pricked, and all. And it wasn’t easy reading the lab results telling you that her blood parameters were far from normal, her platelet count going down, reaching 23 at one point. During those times, I could only go out of the room while people, relatives and friends were inside, so I could let go of my emotions and just cry. All the time, I wished it were me instead of my precious daughter. During those times, I could only resort to kissing her and trying to assure her these were needed because they were just trying to make her better. It was just a blessing that Kara is already 12 years old, and understood that all these were needed. I had a very good patient who tried her mightiest to fight off whatever it was that was making her sick, so it was only rational that I followed suit… fighting off this virus with my daughter.
Last night, another round of tests was done, and this time, her platelet count increased to 36, up from 23 in the morning. This morning, her platelet count has gone up to 44, and that was probably the most beautiful thing I have ever heard (hmmm…aside from Bong telling me I looked beautiful this morning even when I had not had the chance to fix myself during the past several days) We are just waiting for Kara’s platelet count to at least reach 80 before the doctor permits us to finally go home.
The medicines helped. The doctors (very very good pediatricians in the persons of Dr. Abigail Pia Laurel-Suntay and Dr. Michelle Rodriguez who is a Pediatrician-Hematologist Oncologist) helped immensely. The camote tops and lots of fluids helped. But I believe, Kara has gotten out of that dangerous phase because of prayers from both family and friends, including blogger-friends.
Yup, that’s you. I have never met anyone of you (save for a very very nice blogger friend, who I was blessed to meet jsut this morning when he went out of his way to visit us, Fr. Felmar Fiel) but even if we have remained faceless up to this day, you have all taken time to say a prayer for us, most especially for my dear daughter. Through Fr. Felmar and Lhen, blogger friends texted their words of encouragement which helped a great deal in easing the fears and anxiety I felt during those frightful moments.
And so, please allow me to thank you all. Cliche as it may sound, my husband Bong and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts. It gives us great comfort to know that we were able to rely on the goodness of your hearts. I do not wish to repay the favor to you since that would mean any one of you and your families getting sick, but I truly wish to be able to pay it forward…to be able to pray for, and offer words of encouragement to somebody else in need. When I decided to make my presence known in WP late September, (since I used to blog in FS, Multiply and FB) I only wanted to share my thoughts with whoever would care to read what I had to say. But I never really realized I would gain so many friends in so little time. God is truly good. I realized, even when I wasn’t deserving of His favor and miracles, He continues to selflessly give. And the blessings include you. 
Our war isn’t over yet. We have to wait til ate Kara’s platelet count gets up to at least 80 (normal count is at least 150), but I trust in the Lord that He will make this possible.
